Urban youth’s views about career opportunities and relations in the field of labor

The article is devoted to the ideas and stereotypes of Russian youth about the possibilities of upward mobility and relations with employers in the labor market. Based on the results of the author’s sociological research (three measurements carried out with an interval of one year from February 2022 to February 2024), it was found out: firstly, that no more than one in two employed young people works in his specialty and is satisfied with payment of his work; secondly, the absolute majority of young people surveyed admit that in Russia it is definitely or rather possible to achieve the position of a specialist, a leading specialist and a lower–level manager without resorting to «connections», whereas in relation to higher positions — middle and senior managers — their confidence decreases markedly; thirdly, negative stereotypes prevail among people concerning labor relations, especially with regard to pay equity and the employer’s interest in developing the competencies of the employees. Using the method of correlation analysis, it was found that the ideas about the labor market have a significant relationship with the trust in the information agenda about the state of affairs in the national economy and its prospects. Attention is drawn to the fact that the information agenda contributes to over-optimistic expectations about the labor market among unemployed young people, which subsequently — if these expectations are likely to fail — can negatively affect the quality of their work and loyalty to the employer. It is concluded that, despite their cultural conditionality, young people’s ideas about labor relations can be changed for the better, but for this, employers should promote openness of the financial and economic processes in the organization, development of the intellectual potential of young employees, as well as their involvement in more responsible value creation processes.

labor market, youth, upward mobility, labor relations, economic culture